Art of treating starch materials, flours, and flour product.



PRODUGT.

A. P. ANDERSON.

UH MATERIALS, FLDURS, AND FLOUR API LIOATIDN FILED AUG. 31, 1906.

0F TREATING STAR 1,035,830.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

, lumps resembling pebbles or nodules,

drawing or UNITED STATES PATENT F C ALEXANDER P. ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ART 015 TREATING STARCH MATERIALS, FLOUBS, AND FLOUR PRODUCT.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER P. ANDER- son, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Materials, Flours, and Flour Produ'cts,- of

-which the following is a .full, clear, concise,

and exact description, reference being had to the accompany ng drawing, forming a' partof this specification.

My invention relates to a new process of treating starch-containing flours, and to .a

new product made from such materials.

"This application relates to a species ofthe generic-invention set forth in'my application filed; contemporaneously herewith, SerialNo. 332,804. I

The object of my invention is to provide a new processof treating flours made from cereal grains or other flours cient starch (such, for example as that from the banana), to thereby produce a a prodsmall which may be used as a cereal-food product, or for other purposes. Also, to provide a new pebbled or nodular flour product made from pebbled or nodular product, that is, u'ct consisting preferably wholly of the materials above mentioned, and having new and valuable characteristics.

-In carrying out the process, I mayuse the shown in the accompanying that of my co-pending application Serial 'No. 329,030, filed August 3,1906,

apparatus or that of myappli'cation Ser. No. 397,324, ,filed' Oct. 14,190 I In these drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of the piping together with a longitudinal sectional elevation of. the drum-support in the. oven, the latter being indicated in dot- Fig. 2 is a rear end view ofthe oven; Fig. 3 shows the drum in charging f and? ischarglng posit-ions, the latter posit-ion eing indicated in dotted lines; Eig. 4

is a sectional view ,of the rear end of the drum; and, Fig. 5 is a section of the drum on the line 5-5 of. Fig. 4.

The raw material to be treated is put into a drum 2, mounted upon a suitable car capa ble of being rolled about and broughtto.

the various parts of the apparatus for hank dling. ,The car consists oftwo side members 3, 3, having a trunnion 4,,extending therebetween at the rear end; a shaft or axle 5 connects the. forward ends of said members.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Art of Treating Starch containing suflimade ' ing the heating.-

Small wheels or rollers 6 are mounted outside of the members 3, upon the projecting ends of trunnion t and shaft 5. The cars run on a'track 7within the oven, consisting of four rails fastened to the inside .of the cage 8. At-

'each end of the oven is a ring 9 having teeth outside forming a gear, which meshes with another gear 10 adapted to rotate the cage.

The gears 10 and rollers 11 support thecage and inclosed drum, in addition to causlng rotatlon thereof by any suitable power app-liedto one of their supporting shafts outside of the oven. After the drum has been run into the oven, a steam-connection is madeat 12, thus admitting, steam to the-flattened pipe" 13 inpipe, said holes becoming moreg-trequent in proportion ,.to the drop. in pressure" as the steam advances. w

Patented Aug. 20', 1912.

Application filed August 31, 1906; Serial No. 332,806.

side of the drum; The steam escapes into the drum th'roughnumerous holes 14 in the By means of, the gears 9 and 10 the cage drum is rotated slowly -dur- Rotation is permitte by the stuffing box 12* maintains the steam-connection.

containing the pressure gage. and closing valves 15 and 15, the steam is by-passed around the drum. Byclosing the valve .15 and opening 15, the pressure in the drum maybe brought to shown "by gage 16. To in the drum, valve 15 valves 15 and 15 opened, whereby sur,escapes into the atmosphere.

proper valve-manipulation, pressure a'nd temperature in, the 'drum may reduce} the pressure may be closed and thepres- Thus, by

be regulated and controlled absolutely Within the desired limits. It will be understood that'the oven-is"heated; by any suitable or desired means 3 21s, for example, by gas. The lid 18 of the drum is clamped tightly closed, a suitable soft-metal gasket being provided to. cause an air-tight connection, when the drum is in the horizontal position in its frame. In order that the heating may not unseal thel-id, I prefer to ma'ke the drum of bronze, or some material having which at the same time The ,.arrangerhent of the piping shown is as follows: '15", 15, 15, 15, and 15 are valves; 16 is a,"

By opening valves 15, .15,

. any desired point as the conditions of ioo a higher coeflicient or expansion than the side members of the frame.

To remove the drum from the oven after .the heating, valve :15! is closed, the drum is disconnected at 12, and 15 run out of the -oven'toa ralsing and lowering mechanism The 11d or tumbling action. 1,20

30 should contain suflic ient starch and 35 the rotation of 50 forming the'process may 5' various changes. and

made in the. same wlthout departing'from v the spirit or scope ofthe invention. In this 160 ture up to about 6 Hour absorbs the suitably connected-with the drum through the arm 17.

the drum is lowered about the shaft 4 as a v pivot, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

roller 19, suddenly flies open frominternal pressure, if pressure there be, when the contents are discharged, assisted by gravity. In charging, the drum'is raised by the same b arm or screw 17 until it tilts upwardly, and

the material to .be treated the drum. By means of the apparatus just described, which is preferred for commercial purposes,

may be fed into it is convenient and practicable to subject the material in the drum or cylinder to any degree of heat or pressure, and if desired, to moisture as well as to the desired agitation The flour used in the ent inventionand in the product may be in the ordinary condition, although it need not be bolted or very fine; the ordinary flour not bolted may be used. Preferably it should not be too coarseor too granular, al-

though a very finely ground flour or one that has been bolted ordinarily results in a 7 product having a more homogeneous or uniform structure. The material,

moisture to render the same sticky when heated to such an extent that the starch becomes gelatinized to a greater or less degree, to thereby form nuclei or centers when it is agitatedby the receptacle in which it is heated. This tumbling action causes the sticky nuclei orcenters to roll or gather up the powdered material, thereby forming lumps which resemble water-worn gathered up into with the lumps, and also that by continuing the process a longer time than merely suit} I 'cient to gather up the powder, a harder .or

j glazed surface may be imparted thereto.

In order that one specific manner ofperbe'fully set forth to enable others to practice the invention, I shall describe specifically the preferred process of treating wheat flour in accordance with my inventiomit being understood'that alterations may be preferred process, the wheat'flour has added to it sufficient 'water tggbrin'g the total mois- 20 to .9%. The moisture is added in any convei efiit way, -for exam ple, by spraying while jthej flour is being stirred, or by allowing steam from a jet to pass through it slowly, in whichcasethe waterfof the steam in suf- By means of this mechanism- 18, previously held shut by the process of my pres-- however,

pebbles, 40 theprocess being preferably continued until although it will I course, hotter than the flour.

ficient amount which may be determined by weighing. An even distribution of the moisture throughout the material, so as not to leave large wet masses, should be made, although it may not be absolutely even in itsdistribution throughout the whole mass. Enough of this flour is now drum, if the apparatus shown in the drawings be employed, to fill it from onehalf to three-fourths full, after which the drum is sealed air tight by closing the lid. The drum isheated from any suitable source, as by the oven indicated in the drawings, the temperature to which the drum is raised varying from 150 to 250 C. During the heating the drum is kept in rotation. In this treatment, the flour soon becomes heated to a temperature at which; it begins'to give o'fiTits moisture in the form of steam, which fills the space in the drum not occupied by the flour, and under the conditions is, of The result is a condensation on and throughout the flour. At a temperature of about to (1, the starch begins to become sticky on account of incipient gelatinization, although it is not likely that all of the starch in the flour becomes sticky at the same time. But the granules that gelatinize'coalesce and form centersor nuclei which, in tumbling, gather up other granules and ingredients composing the flour, thereby increasing their size by these accretions. such nuclei or centers, in their tumbling or rolling, do not all grow at the same speed, and therefore that during this action the balls or pebbles do not always grow in size. the same amount or evenly throughout their Whole surface. For this reason, when all of the powder li as'bee'n gathered up, the lumps may vary somewhat in size as well as form.

Also, due to their method of growth and to the'tumbling action, the surfaces of these pebbles become smooth and .worn, thusbausing them to resemble water-worn pebbles, from which fact they aretermed nodular or pebble-like, the latter terminology being preferred and the product when wheat flour is thus treated may be termed pebbledwheat. I have found that when fiour con-- taining the smaller say 20%, is treated, the pebbles are larger than when the larger percentage 'of moisture, say 30%, is present. I would explainthis by the fact that with the drier flour, fewer nuclei or centers form than with the more moistflour, it being understood that i the fewer'the centers formed, the larger the ?pebb1es,'and vice if 1 the time, the

all of the l/Vhen starting lumps or pebbles reaches about 100 a 0., the

gage begins to show a pressure withput into the v -It is also probable that say about 30% in thedrum, which increases with the increasing temperature of the material. So that at the end of about an hour when the oven temperature is about 250 (3., or at the.

The pressure needed for the pebbling varies V with the amount of moisture contained in the material. Thus, with the apparatus shown, and when the flour used contains of moisture, about pounds r square inch pebbling, When it contains a smaller per;

' centage of moisture, say

' are of sufficient peripheries ,tion, the excess may be drying,

about 40 pounds per square inch is needed.

.of the flour as is dehardness, especially on their to prevent them crumbling or powderi'ng, -the pebbling operation is brought to a completion by slowly reducing the pressure within the drum,-as 'by b owing .ofi' slowly, this being readily accomplished by opening the blow-off valve partly at first and then widely, until the pressure falls to zero, whereupon the cylinder may be opened, and Should the pebbles'now contain more moisture than they would in an air-dry condiremoved, by kilnor, by any other approved'meth0d,

as, for example, drying in the sun.

.drum. Thus,'by

' In the steps of thepreferred process above described, I use ressures as stated, since I the best resu ts to be thus accomplished. However, flour may be pebbled at a slight ressure or tension of the steam surroundmg the flour by leaving theblow-off valve openduring the time of treatment in the takingfiour containing the lar er percentage of moisture given above, drum to the 'hi her oven temperature given, the .peb-

. bllng operationjcan be. successf 11y carried out.

the starchy mass in the sun,

Instead of using wheat flour, as above described, I may takeoat flour containin about'25 to 40% of moisture and by $11 jecting it to substantially' the "same treat-- ment, I-ca-n produce pebbled oats, in which the pebblesresemble, mjform and s1ze,-peb bled wheat.- Or, I maytake the flour knownin commerce as conqulntay or banana meal,

which is made in lar e quantities in the bananas by first peeling them, then drying and then, when dry, pulverizingor grinding the mass into large percentage of meal, which contains a fiber and other con- 20%, a pressure of the pebbled flour taken out.

uiana from unripe meal or flour is sufficient for its complete the preferred Zing about 20 to 40 per cen is taken and a sufiicient amount of water added to it to bring its total moisture up to about 20 to 40%, and is then subjected tothe above pebbling treatment, which results in a product which may be called pebbled banana or pebbled banana flour.

The pebbled products, which are preferably made as above described, vary in their hardness somewhat according to the amount of moisture in the. flour, the temperature of. the oven, the pressure within the drum, as well as the time given to the operation. The pebbles are-also sufliciently hard and compact to prevent them from powdering or crumbling when handled, as in being poured from one receptacle to another. In fact, that may, be handled insubstantially the same way as grain or seeds, without powder- The pebbled flours have a variety of uses. For instance, when sufiiciently cooked during the treatment, they may be used as food without further preparation, or they may be used for other purposes in the art. Also they may be further treated for putting or swelling according tomy process which forms the subject-matter of my co-pendin application Serial No. 370,004, .filed Apri 24, 1907, to produce the novel product claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 116,279. filed July 19,1902;

Having thus described the invention and v manner of carrying the same into effect, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

- 1. The herein disclosed process which consists in heating moistened starch-containing flour to a temperature sufficient with the moisture present to produce some'gelatinization of the starch in the material, and subjecting the material to' a tumbling action, which is continued until the same is formed into pebbles.

2. The process of pebbling starch-containing flours which consists in heating. such flour having a moisture content above airdry to a temperature sufficient to create from the starch in such material sticky nuclei or centers, and subjecting the mass to a tumbling action, whereby, as the tumbling ac- 5 tion is continued, the nuclei or centers are caused to gather up the loose flour into pebble-like lumps.

3i The herein disclosed process which con sists in heating starch-containing flour hav- -moisture to a, temperature sufiicient-to gelatinize some of the starch granules in the flour, which elatinized granules form centers or nuc ei, and conjointly subjecting the mass to a tumbling action, whereby the said nuclei or cen ters are'caused to gather up the loose our and growin size by accretion to form lumps.

4. The herein disclosed process which consists in heating starch-containing flour hav- 1 g lumps.

5. The

tumbling the material containing about 20 to 4Q per cent. moisture in a closed receptacle until sticky nuclei or centers are formed, then continuing the heating until a pressure of about 15 per square inch has developed within the receptacle and the gathered u material i ing flours whichrconsists in heating and tumbling the material containing about 20 process of pebbling starch-containi-ng flours which consists in heating and nto pebble-like lumps, and then slowly reducing the pressure.

e'process of pebblin'g starch-containto-40 per cent. moisture in a closed receptacle until sticky nuclei or centers are formed, then continuing the heating and tumbling. until a pressure of about 15t0 4= p1ounds per squareinch has developed within the recepe0 tacle, whereby the nuclei or centers gather up substantially all of the loose material 'into,pebble-like lumps, then slowly, reducing the pressure, and then'dryingthe product toa substantially air-dry condition.

' 7 As an article of manufacture, a starchcontaining flour product pebble like in shape, having a worn, hardened periphery, and formed by accretion. V

8. As an article of manufacture, a starch- 40 containing flour product. pebble like in shape, having a worn-hardened periphery.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name inthe presence of two witnesses. T

ALEXANDER r. ANDERSON. Witnes'ses:

J. JAY SMITH,

J AMns Rumour.

meanwhile tumbling the or nuclei, and continuing and tumbling to 40 pounds nuclei or centers have p substantially all of the loose It is hereby certified that in Letters'Paten t No. 1,035,830, granted AugustQO; 1912,

upon the application of Alexander Ahderson, of. Chicago, Illinois, for an improvement The Art otIreating Starch- Materials', Floors, and Flour Product, errors 15 appear in the printed specification requiring correctionjas follows: Page 1, line 43, I:

for the word oven read aw'cng'emnt sliown w'n. Fig. 1; page 2 line 10, for the word and read when; page 3, line 27, strike out the word .slowly; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections. therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent 05 cc. Signed and sealed this 29th day 'of Qctober, A. D.,"19 1 2'. v 1.

. I [SEAL] I l.

r LC. Q..BILL1N Actz'mg aommission erofPdteatal v lumps.

5. The

tumbling the material containing about 20 to 4Q per cent. moisture in a closed receptacle until sticky nuclei or centers are formed, then continuing the heating until a pressure of about 15 per square inch has developed within the receptacle and the gathered u material i ing flours whichrconsists in heating and tumbling the material containing about 20 process of pebbling starch-containi-ng flours which consists in heating and nto pebble-like lumps, and then slowly reducing the pressure.

e'process of pebblin'g starch-containto-40 per cent. moisture in a closed receptacle until sticky nuclei or centers are formed, then continuing the heating and tumbling. until a pressure of about 15t0 4= p1ounds per squareinch has developed within the recepe0 tacle, whereby the nuclei or centers gather up substantially all of the loose material 'into,pebble-like lumps, then slowly, reducing the pressure, and then'dryingthe product toa substantially air-dry condition.

' 7 As an article of manufacture, a starchcontaining flour product pebble like in shape, having a worn, hardened periphery, and formed by accretion. V

8. As an article of manufacture, a starch- 40 containing flour product. pebble like in shape, having a worn-hardened periphery.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name inthe presence of two witnesses. T

ALEXANDER r. ANDERSON. Witnes'ses:

J. JAY SMITH,

J AMns Rumour.

meanwhile tumbling the or nuclei, and continuing and tumbling to 40 pounds nuclei or centers have p substantially all of the loose It is hereby certified that in Letters'Paten t No. 1,035,830, granted AugustQO; 1912,

upon the application of Alexander Ahderson, of. Chicago, Illinois, for an improvement The Art otIreating Starch- Materials', Floors, and Flour Product, errors 15 appear in the printed specification requiring correctionjas follows: Page 1, line 43, I:

for the word oven read aw'cng'emnt sliown w'n. Fig. 1; page 2 line 10, for the word and read when; page 3, line 27, strike out the word .slowly; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections. therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent 05 cc. Signed and sealed this 29th day 'of Qctober, A. D.,"19 1 2'. v 1.

. I [SEAL] I l.

r LC. Q..BILL1N Actz'mg aommission erofPdteatal v 

